Laughter is the best medicine
by moonlightdreamer1
Summary: This is a one shot fiction based on the story of the princess who couldn't laugh sometimes also called the princess who couldn't smile. It's fluffy I can't help myself. Branch and Poppy in case you thought it would be anything else.


This is a fairy tale AU based on the story of the princess who couldn't laugh sometimes also called the princess who never smiled. I don't own anything here. This was done for fun. Be warned for fluff, darkness and some angst. I have dyslexia and I do the best I can with the assistive technology I have.

Laughter is the best medicine

Once upon a time long ago there was a troll princess named Poppy, she was the happiest and most positive of all the trolls in her Kingdom. All of her people loved their princess and wanted nothing more than for her to be happy for the rest of her life. During a visit from a neighbouring troll royal family the princess met and fell in love with the younger son of the royal couple, his name was Creek. The pink troll discovered that the prince had an older brother named Branch and you couldn't find two brothers who were more different from each other than these two. The younger brother was happy, lively, spiritual, outgoing and handsome with purple skin and blue and aqua green hair as well as blue eyes. The elder brother on the other hand was serious, wise, shy, often morose, down to earth and he was considered not handsome at all in comparison to his brother, as he had grey skin, black hair and blue eyes.

It was not until a second visit that Poppy actually met the elder brother, if the princess was honest she hadn't thought much about him until that meeting. As soon as the pink troll met Branch she found herself wanting to see him laugh or even smile neither of which the prince ever did. Poppy did her best to try and get Branch to enjoy himself but for some reason she didn't know of he seemed not to even be able to enjoy himself. Determined to try everything she could the pink princess started to invite him to all of her parties but although the grey troll accepted the invitations from her he never came to any of the events the princess planned. Instead of putting Poppy off of the grey prince, it made the princess even more determined to befriend the other troll and make him smile. So it was that every time the two brother came to pay a visit to them Poppy gave all of her romantic attention to Creek but determinedly tried to cheer the older prince up and make Branch her friend.

Many years after these first few meetings the two brothers along with their father and mother where once again vising their land and Poppy was practically ready to bubble over with her excitement. She hoped that as she was now coming of age that very soon Creek and herself would become formally betrothed, the princess was looking forward to this happening with great anticipation. Poppy had just finished spending some time with Creek and now she was searching the castle and its grounds for Branch. When the pink troll eventually located the other troll he was sitting in the shade under one of the trees in the castle garden. Poppy quickly noticed that Branch was reading a book, so instead of disturbing him the princess settled down on the grass next to the prince and just about managed to wait quietly until Branch looked up from the book and asked. "Good after noon Poppy. Can I help you?"

The pink troll looked at Branch and found herself asking something which she had not planned to but had been on her mind for quite some time. "I've been wondering lately about what happened to you to turn you grey?"

"You know it's been a long time since any one asked me that." The prince admitted his voice laced with surprise. "Are you sure you want to hear about it?"

"You're my friend of cause I want to know what happened to you."

Poppy was surprised that the grey troll did not argue with her about them being friends as he usually did, the princess was very glad that he had not for once. She watched as Branch put the book to one side, his blue eyes met her pink and then the prince spoke. "It happened some years ago now when I was quiet young. My brother angered a fairy by playing with her daughter's heart. The fairy was furious with Creek which was understandable, she cast a curse which was intended for my brother but he hid behind me and the curse instead hit me. The curse turned me grey, it made me unable to laugh, or to feel happiness in any form. The fairy was mortified that her curse had fallen onto me instead of Creek. Since I had not been the one to harm her daughter the fairy was kind enough to cast a second spell onto me. That spell states that the curse on me can be broken by another troll falling truly in love with me and making me laugh. I've spent years like this I have become use to it, after all being as I am no troll is ever likely to fall truly in love with me."

Once he had finished speaking the two trolls sat together under the tree in silence, Poppy wasn't sure what she could say to Branch after hearing the story. It was so sad to hear that the grey troll had been cursed place of his brother, Poppy hoped that Creek had learnt his lesson after what had happened and that he was not playing with her heart as he had the fairy's daughter. Eventually from somewhere the pink troll found her voice and finally addressed the troll sitting next to her. "That's terrible. Well at least you have a friend in me now!"

"A friend…Yes I do. It is strange to know that after all this time. I do not have many friends, as a lot of trolls find it hard to cope with the fact I cannot be happy like normal trolls due to my curse."

Poppy flung her arms round the grey troll and hugged him hard. "One day some troll is going to see how wonderful you are cursed or not and fall completely in love with you! When that happens, I am sure that troll will make you laugh and free you of your curse."

Slowly Branch hugged her back and said to her softly. "Thank you for saying that Poppy."

She released the other troll and addressed him with a huge smile on her face. "You are welcome. Are you going to attend my birthday ball this year?"

The prince gave her a nod. "Yes I shall be after all you are my friend."

Poppy squealed with glee and hugged Branch again. "At last you said yes to one of my invitations! Yay thank you." The pink troll released the older troll from the hug, she then looked at the book the older troll had been reading and read the title out. "Myths and legends of the troll kingdoms. That's an interesting choice."

The grey prince shrugged. "I find the old stories fascinating. Shouldn't you be getting ready for your birthday ball Poppy?"

The princess jumped up to her feet realising that Branch was quiet right. "Yes, I should be, I will see you later!" As she said this Poppy ran off down the hill waving over her shoulder at Branch. The prince waved back, when she was out of sight, the grey price stood up, he tucked away his book and started to make his way inside.

Branch's thoughts where very much on the younger pink princess, she was beautiful in heart, soul and body. If Poppy was not in love with his brother than he would have probably taken the chance of letting himself allowing her closer to him in hopes that she could break his curse. It would be so easy for him to let the love he felt for her and had for years now show but Branch knew it was pointless. The grey troll was sure that he had absolutely no chance of winning Poppy's love away from Creek. To have the one he loved truly so close but not be able to have her pained Branch greatly but he tried to carry on despite the pain. Still just having a friend was a good thing as far as Branch was concerned and he was not about to do or say something which might harm their friendship.

As he entered his room in the palace the prince looked over to his long-standing man servant and said to him. "Willow, I am going to princess Poppy's birthday ball tonight and I want to look the part of a prince fore once." As he said this last part Branch looked down at his brown trousers, simple white shirt and brown jacket, looking at himself dressed so simply made him frown with concern. "Going to the ball dressed like this is really out of the question."

If Willow was surprised by this request from the prince the green troll was too well trained show it, instead he bowed politely to his prince and said. "Of cause sire. I had always hoped you might wish to go to one of princess Poppy's balls and have packed accordingly"

It took some time but when the green troll had finally finished dressing Branch the prince looked in the mirror and stared at himself with surprise for a few moments before turning to look at Willow. "I look…Are you sure this isn't too much?"

Willow smiled, the two trolls were of a similar age and were in fact long term friends despite the curse on Branch. The green troll knew that Branch could be a little unsure of himself as trolls tended to compare him unfavourably to his younger brother and sort to reassure the prince. "It is no were near too much. If I may say so myself, you look magnificent like a true prince for once."

These words caused the grey prince to let out a noise of agreement. "Thank you Willow." Branch said gratefully to the other troll, he knew that Willow would not lie to him which made the grey troll feel a lot better about the way he was dressed. Taking his courage in both hands the prince left his room and made his way to the ballroom of the castle.

Poppy was happily mingling amongst her guests, she wore a gown of blue with wide glittering skirts, decorated with embroidered pink flowers. The bodice clung to her figure the simple scoop neckline was flattering on her. The princess wore her father birthday gifts to her a necklace of blue sapphire flowers and a matching tiara at the base of her pink hair. Poppy had already danced several dances with various guests and Creek but she was yet to see Branch. She hoped he would arrive soon, Poppy had been looking forward with excitement to seeing him at one of her parties for years.

When a sudden silence fell over the ball room Poppy quickly looked around to see what had caused it. Then the pink troll noticed him at the other end of the ball room and she was quite aware of the fact that she was staring at Branch like a gawking child. Poppy had never seen the grey troll dressed as wonderfully as this before and the princess couldn't help but wonder why Branch had never worn anything like this at any other time. The prince wore smart black trousers, a crisp white shirt, over this was a waistcoat of shimmering silver, then there was a jet-black jacket, tailored perfectly to emphasises his figure, the jacket was exquisitely embroidered at the cuffs, hems and lapels with silver leafy tendrils. On his head for once Branch wore a sign of his royal rank a simple silver crown, which was settled where his hair met his head, it was undecorated and the light silver coloured crown was in stark contrast against his black hair.

Eventually Poppy managed to tare her eyes away from looking at the grey troll and as she looked around the ballroom the princess realised that she was not the only troll to be staring at the prince it seemed to her that every female troll in the ballroom had their eyes on Branch. The princess wasn't surprised that they should all be staring at him after all Branch looked…Poppy struggled to find a word that matched how exquisite that the prince appeared tonight. It was as if someone had taken one of the old troll tails which her deceased mother used to tell her and breathed life into one of the great Kings or princes from one of her stories.

It appeared that Branch was totally unaware of the silent commotion which he had caused, the prince was standing to one side of the ballroom talking to King Peppy. Poppy took a deep breath, she walked over to the grey troll and as her father and Branch spotted her coming towards them they stopped talking. When the princess made it to where they were standing Branch bowed politely to Poppy who curtsied in return before smiling widely at her friend. "Branch you look simply amazing tonight."

Peppy cringed at his daughter's choice of words. "Poppy! What a thing to say!"

The prince shook his head at the King and sort to reassure Peppy that he was no insulted by his daughter's words. "It is quite alright King Peppy, after all princess Poppy has never seen me like this before so I understand her reaction. Would you care to dance princess?"

"I'd love to."

Branch held a hand out to her, Poppy slipped her hand into his and then together they went out onto the dance floor together. The orchestra began to play a waltz, at first the two began to dance just a simple waltz but after a few moments their eyes met and a silent communication passed between them. Branch twirled Poppy out and then back to him and with this unspoken signal the two of them began to dance in a more complicated fashion. This was a form of the waltz which Poppy had not danced for years but Branch never let her fall of falter, he was right there for her and the prince was nothing short of the perfect partner. Their moves were perfectly in time, to the princess it felt as though they had been dancing together their whole lives and she knew that the grey prince would never let her fall. All too soon for Poppy's liking the music was coming to an end and Branch was escorting her back off of the floor. As soon as the prince had seen her into the arms of her next partner for the night Branch was besieged by female trolls all wanting to dance with him.

Poppy spent most of the rest of the night dancing, she had danced several times with Creek but the instead of concentrating on the troll she hopped to marry prink troll had found herself watching as Branch danced time and time again with female trolls who were not her. It seemed to the princess as though every female troll in the kingdoms wanted to dance with the dashing grey troll and as she watched Branch with them Poppy could feel something stirring inside of her something hot and possessive. The princess shook herself she shouldn't feel this way, Branch deserved to find someone to love him and break his curse. As she thought about the prince's curse Poppy couldn't help but wonder what he would look like with his colour back? What colours would they be? How would he appear with a smile on his face and what would his laugh sound like?

The voice of the very troll she was thinking about interrupted the thoughts of the princess. "Would you like to dance with me again princess?"

Poppy beamed a smile up at Branch. "I would like that."

Once more they went out onto the floor, just as before they danced together in perfect harmony, when the princess recognised the words of the ballad the orchestra was playing she began to sing along with the singer and was amazed as Branch joined her. Poppy knew for the second time in that night her she was gawking at him, his singing voice which she had never heard before was amazing, it was so beautiful just like an angel's. The princess eventually managed to stop staring at Branch and joined her voice with his again. Their voices harmonised perfectly as the two sang and danced together. Neither of them noticed that the singer had stopped singing and that they had the dancefloor completely to themselves as the rest of the trolls were standing at the side of the dancefloor watching them with awe.

As the music finished the two trolls stood in the middle of the dancefloor their eyes locked neither one moving, silence hung over the whole room and still neither Branch or Poppy noticed. It was Creek who broke the magic of the moment, by walking out onto the dancefloor and coughing to get their attention. They both gave a start, Branch released his hold on Poppy, he bowed to her and then walked away from her quickly. The pink troll went to go after him but Creek put his hand into hers and drew her into a dance with him. "Don't worry about my brother he will be fine."

Poppy smiled at Creek trying to convince him and herself that she was alright, that something inside her hadn't changed. But there was part of her which knew this was a lie something had changed and the pink troll didn't know what it was just that it was profound. Poppy also found that she was still worried about Branch and once her dance with Creek was over the pink troll began to look for the grey prince but it appeared that he had vanished from the ballroom. Poppy didn't see Branch again for the rest of the night and when the ball ended the princess went to bed with him on her mind and unknowingly in her heart.

In the morning, the pink troll ignored Creek who was suspiciously in her opinion lavishing a lot of more attention on her than he normally did. The pink troll left him behind in favour of looking for his older brother Poppy did know why but somewhere deep inside the princess knew she had to find him. The pink troll scoured every inch of the castle and when she couldn't find Branch in the castle Poppy then started on the gardens. After looking for the grey troll for the longest time the princess heard it that wonderful voice of his from the night before. Branch was singing about his pained heart, of his curse, about falling truly in love with someone he couldn't have and of never being able to know love or happiness. Poppy ran in the direction of that heavenly voice her heart hammering as she did, the princess couldn't help but feel that it was as if Branch was saying he loved her and goodbye to her all at the same time.

The song came to an end before the princess found Branch but Poppy knew she was close to where he was, the pink troll surged forward she would find him and tell him…Tell Branch what she wondered for a moment and then Poppy came to a halt as realisation dawned, she loved him the pink troll didn't know exactly when it had happened…But she knew without a doubt that she loved Branch. Poppy looked around, before starting forward again, the princess stumbled out of a hedge into a clearing in the garden and as she looked around the clearing Poppy realised that Branch was there. In the next moment, she became aware of the fact that the prince was not alone a purple fairy was standing tall and elegant before him. The fairy was circling her wand over the head of the grey troll, her magic was passing into him with ease. Poppy didn't know what was happening here but the princess was sure it wasn't good and screamed as she had never screamed in her life before. "BRANCH! NO!"

The princess dashed across the clearing, she caught him in her arms as he fell downwards and held him close. "Branch no…" As she said this Poppy sunk down onto her knees holding him carefully in her arms.

Slowly the grey troll looked up at her with sad blue eyes and said softly. "I love you…I truly do with all my heart…But Poppy you love Creek, be happy with him, be happy enough for both of us that's all I ask…" With this said Branch's blue eyes slipped closed and his body stilled in her arms.

The purple fairy moved to take him from the princess but she clutched him to her even tighter than before, causing the fairy to look at her with confusion. Poppy ignored her for the moment and spilled her heart to Branch instead. "No…No…Please Branch. I wanted to see you smile and I wanted to hear you laugh…I…I…" Poppy unable to hold them in anymore burst into tears.

A hand placed gently on her shoulder startled the princess, she looked up to see another fairy, she was dressed in aqua green with purple and aqua green hair. Gently the fairy caught one of Poppy's tears, which glowed with a soft light, she leant over Branch and gently pressed the tear to his lips. The princess gasped with awe and relief as the troll in her arms let out a single breath followed by another. Poppy looked up at the aqua fairy who smiled at her and suddenly the pink troll knew who she was. "You're the one Creek hurt." The fairy gave her a nod. "I'm so sorry he did that to you…You'll find someone to love you truly someday I know it. After all I found true love myself even if I was too stupid to see it at the time."

The aqua fairy gulped, the purple fairy's eyes widened as she spoke for the first time since Creek had broken her heart. "You think I can find true love?"

Poppy smiled at her tearfully and said truthfully. "Of cause, you can."

The fairy let out a laugh it was a beautiful sound and said to the pink troll softly. "Thank you. I am Bridget and this is my gift to you." Green light filled the clearing it was so bright that Poppy had to close her eyes.

When the light faded, the princess opened her eyes again and Poppy found that she was glowing with a pink light which was leaking into Branch. "What…is that?"

"Your true love for Branch, it is holding back my mother's spell."

"Oh! Oh, I see." Poppy held the prince closer to her bathing him in her light, she closed her eyes and then began to sing to him confessing her love for him through the song. As the last note of her song died, the princess felt a hand on her cheek and her pink eyes shot open to find Branch looking up at her with wide wonder filled blue eyes. With a cry of happiness Poppy hugged the grey troll to her. "You frightened me! I thought I'd lost you…I love you. I love you Branch, not Creek, that stupid crush doesn't even hold a candle to what I feel for you. Never ever scare me like that again."

That's when it happened he chuckled, it was a deep rich sound which had Poppy quickly holding him at arm's length and watching Branch with awe as he laughed openly. Slowly the prince stopped laughing and smiled at Poppy, in her opinion Branch's smile rendered him even more handsome than before. All at once Branch began to change, teal blue light raced over his skin, then sapphire blue coloured his hair and he started to emit a blue light. Poppy watched as their light mixed together flowing out round them, some of the pink and blue mixed making a deep royal purple and the princess stared at it knowing deep down in her soul that these would be the colours of their child. Her attention was drawn back to the one she loved as Branch said very softly. "I love you Poppy my true love."

The princess grinned at him. "I love you too Branch." The pink troll came up onto her feet carrying the prince with her.

Branch gasped, blushed and then looked up into her eyes. "I can walk."

As the blue troll squirmed in her arms, Poppy stilled him with a soft short kiss. "Oh, no you don't. I rescued you I get to carry you back to the castle."

The blush on the other troll's cheeks grew. "Poppy that's not how this works."

"It does this time." The pink princess told him as the two fairies in the clearing giggled at the new couple.

After a few moments, the purple fairy spoke to the now blue troll her eyes dancing with laughter as she did so. "Prince Branch I suggest you let your true love do as she wishes."

"Fine!" He said with a huff drawing more giggles from the two fairies and the princess.

So with her prince safe in her arms the princess started back towards the castle carrying Branch, as they entered the castle servants noticed the pair of them, they did a double take and then went to fetch King Peppy, Branches father, mother and his brother. Poppy having noticed the servants leave when they arrived stood in the hallway simply waiting for them to fetch the other royals. Despite Branch's squirming in her arms she refused to put her prince down until they arrived. When the four royals came into the hall way they instantly noticed Branch in the arms of the princess and that he was now his original blue colour. Slowly and carefully Poppy lowered the prince onto the ground before taking his hand possessively into hers. It was Branch's mother who found her voice first. "Branch your…Your blue again!"

"Yes, that is thanks to Poppy."

"Poppy?" Peppy asked turning his attention to his daughter.

The pink troll smiled at her father. "It's true father. I love Branch and if you will give us your blessing I would like to marry him."

Branch quickly turned towards Poppy his blue eyes where huge, the princess met his gaze and then smiled at him. Creek interjected into the conversation before Peppy could say anything to his daughter. "But you were supposed to be mine! Not my brothers, why…Why would you want Branch instead of me?"

"Firstly, Creek I do not belong to anyone. As for why I would want Branch instead of you, I love him with all my heart and that is all that matters to me. So, father will you let me marry my true love?"

The purple troll huffed loudly and then stalked off after the princess finished speaking to him. Peppy smiled widely at his daughter before he answered this question. "Of cause, I will daughter."

With this permission given to her Poppy turned her attention to Branches mother and father. The royal couple shared a smile before they both gave the princess a nod of permission. The pink troll turned to Branch and gave him a wide beaming smile. "I know you haven't asked me to marry you…But I hope you don't mind…"

As the words of the princess faded the blue troll smiled back at the one he loved with all his heart and asked softly. "So, would you like a spring wedding Poppy?"

Poppy let out a cry of joy, she let go of the prince's hand and then flung her arms round the other troll. This reaction caused the older royals to all start laughing, but their laughter was cut short when for the first time in a long time they all heard Branch laugh. The parents of the blue troll shared a happy smile, they were so glad to see their son blue once more and to hear him laughing again. Poppy pulled back from hugging Branch, the prince surprised the pink troll by kissing her, quickly the princess started to kiss him back but as their parents were there the two of them kept the kiss short and simple. The two trolls were married that spring in a huge royal wedding and it was clear to all those who attended the wedding that the bride and groom were very much in love with each other.


End file.
